Kohola Brewery! That’s where I was headed. It’s the newest brewery on the Hawaiian island of Maui (to be fair, they are the second brewer on the island of Maui), and there was no way I was leaving Maui without a visit. I got a preview of their beer on Thursday with a pint of Kohola Red Sand Ale at Kimo’s Restaurant in Lahaina, but the brewery proper was not far from the scenic waterfront, so we walked there on a fine Friday afternoon.

Kohola (which means whale in the local dialect; note the whale's tale in the logo) is behind a strip mall and you might easily miss it if you don’t know that. It’s mixed in with a few other businesses, but if you walk behind the tourist trap gift shop (which actually has some neat stuff at great prices) you can’t miss the grain silos. The facility itself is all industrial with a bar area and food truck service.

We arrived just before their noon opening time and were the first to belly up to the bar. I ordered a sampler and tried each of their beers before leaving.  Four 4-ounce samples will run you $12, or you could try all 10 for $25. Pints run about $7-$8, and they fill growlers and crowlers, too.

The service did not impress me. Look, I know it’s a bar, but the old surfer dude looking guy behind the bar was, to me, more crotchety than I’d have liked. He was affable enough when talking about beer, but he didn’t seem to get the link between service and a good tip. I wanted to stay hydrated and so asked for water; each time I did he would give me the stink eye and bring back a tiny cup of it to go with my beer. Then too, when the place started to fill up, he was in a hurry to get everybody a drink while my glass sat empty for far too long. I get that you have to take care of the locals, but hey, my money is as good as theirs. To his credit, though, he did enjoy talking beer and did a little of that with us. He and a few regulars even suggested I hit the main Maui brewing facility while I was on the island.

Luckily, the beers were so good here that next time I am in Mau I will certainly be back. Everything was spot on for style, and many of the beers were truly amazing. Beer choices in Hawaii are limited but growing, as imports from the mainland face a harrowing sea journey before they even hit the shelf. Still and all, if all you could drink on Maui were beers from Kohola and Maui brewing (and maybe beers sold here from the other Hawaiian island brewers) you would be doing OK indeed.

One of the most impressive beers at Kohola (and they were all impressive) was Lokahi Pilsner. Lokahi Pilsner has an alcohol content of 5.5% by volume with 35 IBUs. This is a German-style pilsner and Kohola says:

2016 GABF Bronze Medal Winner. A German Style Pilsner that presents a slightly grainy, pilsner malt sweetness to the nose and mouth. Its crisp hop bitterness from Tettnang hops is accentuated by a moderate sulfate rich water profile, without the harshness of other water chemicals thanks to our RO filter and the beautiful MAUI water. This pale-yellow lager is conditioned for 6-8 weeks to give it a perfect flavor and aroma profile to compliment the beautiful island of Maui! Lokahi is the Hawaiian word for “in unity, harmony, and peace”.

Ingredients per Kohola:

Malt Pilsner

Hops Tettnang, Hallertau Magnum

Yeast Bohemian Lager

My glass of Lokahi Pilsner arrived a pale yellow color with a wisp of fluffy head and beautiful biscuit malt in the nose, more of the same in the palate with a bitter grassy herbal aroma permeating. Long dry grassy herbal bitter finish rounds out the beer nicely. A dead ringer for a solid German pils!

I'd be drinking this beer all the time if I lived in Maui....

And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.

*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.

(B)=Bottled

(D)=Draft

 



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